Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

The digestive system, also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, plays an important role in your body, helping you digest food, absorb and use nutrients and remove waste. It includes organs such as the esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestine (colon), rectum and anus.

When something goes wrong within the GI tract, it can impact daily life. Several factors can lead to GI issues, such as poor diet, stress, infections, genetics and medical conditions like ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease.

If you’re experiencing symptoms, your health care provider may recommend you have an endoscopy to see the inside of your GI tract.

What is gastrointestinal endoscopy?

Gastrointestinal endoscopy is a non-surgical procedure that involves the use of an endoscope, a thin, flexible tube fitted with a light and tiny camera. This device gently moves smoothly through your GI tract to provide real-time images of the inside of your esophagus, stomach, intestines and rectum. The tube also has a channel that allows for biopsies and accessories for treatment if needed.

Some of the key benefits of endoscopy include:

• Accurate diagnosis of ulcers, swelling (inflammation), bleeding and abnormal growths like polyps, tumors and cancer.
• Early detections of conditions such as colorectal cancers, especially in individuals who are at higher risk.
• Monitor and manage known GI conditions such as Barrett’s esophagus, inflammatory bowel disease or previous GI surgeries.
• Therapeutic treatments such as polyp removal, control of bleeding, opening narrowed areas of the GI tract and placement of stents to keep a passage open.

Types of gastrointestinal endoscopy

There are several types of endoscopy procedures and each procedure is used to examine different parts of your digestive system. Here is an overview of some common GI endoscopies:

• Anoscopy: A procedure used to examine the inside of the anus and lower rectum. It involves inserting a small, rigid or hard tube called an anoscope into the rectum to see any problems, such as hemorrhoids or anal fissures. 
• Capsule endoscopy: A procedure that uses a tiny, pill-shaped capsule with a camera that takes pictures of the entire small intestine. This procedure is typically used to examine conditions such as gastrointestinal bleeding, Crohn’s disease and small bowel tumors.
• Colonoscopy: A procedure that allows health care providers to look at the entire length of the large intestine (colon) using a colonoscope. It is commonly used for screening and diagnosing conditions such as colorectal cancer, polyps and inflammatory bowel disease.   
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): A procedure used to examine the bile ducts and pancreatic duct. ERCP combines X-ray and endoscopy to help diagnose and treat problems like infections, blockages, gallstones, bile or pancreatic duct leaks, as well as tumors or cancer in your bile ducts. 
• Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS): A procedure that combines endoscopy and ultrasound to examine the gastrointestinal (digestive) tract. It can be used to diagnose causes of abdominal pain, including pancreatic cancer, colon cancer and pancreatitis.   
• Enteroscopy: A procedure used to examine the small intestine and diagnose conditions such as Crohn’s disease, small intestine tumors and GI bleeding. The scope is passed through your mouth and throat (upper enteroscopy) or anus and rectum (lower enteroscopy). 
• Upper endoscopy: Also known as esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), this procedure is used to examine the esophagus, stomach and the first part of the small intestine. It is commonly used to diagnose conditions such as ulcers, gastritis and Barrett’s esophagus.   
• Sigmoidoscopy (flexible sigmoidoscopy): A procedure used to examine the sigmoid colon, the lower part of the larger intestine. It is often used for screening and diagnosing conditions such as colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. Rigid sigmoidoscopy (proctoscopy), which uses a short, hard scope, may also be performed in certain cases to look at the rectal lining.

Preparing for and recovering from endoscopy

Are you scheduled for an endoscopy procedure? Learn what to expect before, during and after the procedure. Understand how to prepare for your appointment, what will happen during the procedure and what to expect during your recovery.

Expert care 

Worried about a potential digestive problem? Our compassionate Banner Health endoscopy team is here to help. We offer a wide range of procedures for accurate diagnosis and treatment.